Faith is normally thought of as a religious virtue, yet it is central to almost all desires to make a difference. It is particularly vital to any hope of making a substantial difference in the way the world understands or deals with its self or its environment. The scientist with an idea he hopes will revolutionize his or her field, the artist with a new concept of what art should be, the entrepreneur with the dream of a new kind of business, all must act out of faith. The scientist cannot know that the idea will accomplish anything, the artist can only hope his concept will touch anyone else, the entrepreneur acts in the hope that what he sees as opportunity will prove real. If they are at all sensitive to the actuality of the world, they must know that there are no guarantees. They must also know that the end will inevitably be quite different from their initial conception. Risk goes with the territory and the greater the payoff if the idea proves useful, the greater the risk. They can act only out of an inner conviction that the possibility of accomplishing something is real and that, if successful, the results will be worth the time and effort. They can only hope that what the world makes of the dream will justify the effort and frustrations that will also be part of the seeking. The dream is what they have, and they act in the faith that, whatever the ultimate reality may prove, the results will be worthwhile, perhaps even monumental. That is the essence of faith.

Religious faith is not different. It is the inner conviction that what is sought – be it “union with God,” transcendence, whatever – is worth the dedication and effort demanded by the discipline. It is the acceptance of a goal that must lie far beyond what can be known at the time of commitment. It, too, involves risks – high risks – and a willingness to override all discouragement and frustration and laying aside whatever inner doubts may remain. It is an inevitable part of the religious effort also that the final result must be quite different from what is anticipated at the beginning. Who, after all, can speak for God, or be certain that what is named as the goal will be what He offers? Indeed, it is said one cannot know before the fact what it is to be “in a state of grace.” As Kierkegaard said, what is required is a leap into the dark, embracing the unknown and accepting that it must be so.